St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-28
tCommllnicated.)
OPELOUSAs, La, May "a, 1SS

OPELOCSAs, La, May "a, 1897.
EDITOR ST. LANDRY DEMOCRATS:
Will you be so kind as to publish for
general information the letter of Pope
Leo NH, on subject which is now in
teresting the people in St. LandryY 1t
bears directly on the question of prohi-
bltlOn; will prove of general interest,
and reads as follows:
"TO our Venerable Brother, John Ire
land, of St Paul, Mimi: Venerable
Brother-health and apostolic benedic-
ton. The admirable words Of piety and
charity by which our faithful children
in the United States labor to promote,
not only their own temporal and eternal
welfare, but also that of their fellow
citizens, and which you have recently
related to Us, give to us exceedingly
great consolation. And above all, we
have rejoiced to learn with what energy
and zeal, by means of various excellent
associations, and specially through the
Catholic Total Abstinence Union, YOU
combat the destructive vice ct intern
perance. For it is we'll known to us
how ruinous, how deplorable is the in
jury both to faith and to morals that is
to be feared from intemperancc in
drink. Nor can We sufficiently nraise
the PrelateS OF the United States. who
recently, at the plenayy council OF Balti-
more, with Nleghtlest words condemned
this abuse, declaring it to he a perpet-
ual incentive to sin and a fruitful root
OF all evils, bringing the families OF the
incorporate into the direst ruin and
drawing nnmberless souls down to ever
lasting perdition, declaring, moreover.
that the faithful who yield to this vice
of intemperance become thereby a scan
dial to non Catholics and /; great him
drance to the propagation of the true
religion. Hence, we esteem worthy Of
all cOmmeDdation the noble resolve of
your plous association, by which they
pledge themselves to abstain totally
from every Kind of intoxicating drink. !
Nor can it at all be doubted that this
determination is the proper and the !
truly etlicacious remedy for this very
great evil and tt If so much the more |
strongly will all be induced to put this |
bride upon the appetite by how much |
the greater are the dignity and influence .
of those who give the example. But
greatest Of all in this matter should be .
the zeal of priests, who, as they are
called to instruct the people in the work
Of life and to mould them to christian
walk before them in the practice Of viz
best to drive the plague OF intemperance
from the fold Of Christ by assiduouS
and eXhortation, and to shine
before all as models of abstinence. that
so many calamities with which this vice ,
threatens both church and State may
by their strenuous eudeavOrs, be avert
ed. And we most earnestly beseech
Almighty God that in this important
natter He may graciously favor your
desires, direct yonr couDscls and assist
your endeavors; and as pledge of the
Irvine protection, and as a testimony of ;
,ur paterDal affection we most lovingly ,,
,estoW upon you, venerable brother, :
md upon all our associates in the holy :
eague, the apostolic benediction. Civ
n at Rome, from st. Peters, tins eth
lay Of March, in the year 1887, the tenth
f our pontiticate. LEO Mi, Pope.
1t is hardly worth while to say that
his edict, emanating as it does from the
ighest authority Of the Catholic /
'hurch, will impress most favorably all f
God Catholics, and that their voices !
ill he loud i'll the project Of establish Il
IL Prohibition. F.. +